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In 2015, about 1 out of 10 babies was born too early in the United States (1). In recognition of November’s Prematurity Awareness Month, enjoy a hygienist’s passion for providing exceptional periodontal care not just for the patient but the unborn patient.<\/p>\n
“Recently, I was training in a well-established dental practice of more than 30 years.\u00a0 The four woman, very talented and all out of school less than a year hygiene team, prompted the question about my opinion of pregnancy gingivitis. I answered with a question of my own, \u201cWhat did you learn in school about it?\u201d Quite frankly, their response left me speechless, \u201cIt\u2019s caused by increased blood flow and it will go away once the baby is born.\u201d\u00a0 WHAT?\u00a0 Is this really being taught to the next generation of dental hygiene health care providers?\u00a0 It\u2019s time for a wake-up call!<\/p>\n
Bleeding gums are a result of a biofilm invasion and host response.\u00a0 Is there a hormonal component?\u00a0 Of course.\u00a0 However, we cannot overlook the bacterial component in this equation.\u00a0 How do you know if pregnancy gingivitis is hormonally driven or bacterial driven?\u00a0 You MUST test.\u00a0 When bleeding and harmful oral bacteria are present, they may enter the blood stream with the potential to cross the placental barrier; invading the intra-uterine environment, putting the baby at risk for pre-term low birth weight and still birth.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to do something different!!\u00a0 Test, don\u2019t guess.”<\/p>\n
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